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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28915815">Be Here Now</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Ruthless/pseuds/Lady_Ruthless'>Lady_Ruthless</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, But we know he's not really dead, M/M, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, Right?, implied major character death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:07:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,134</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28915815</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Ruthless/pseuds/Lady_Ruthless</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Maruki's palace is collapsing. Ren and Akechi have their final moments together.</p><p>A.k.a. We were robbed of a proper goodbye scene so I fixed it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>80</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Be Here Now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I haven't written in AGES. And it shows but, here we are. I hope it's a decent read.</p><p> </p><p>Please follow me on the Twitters dot com <a href="https://twitter.com/LadyRuthless_">@LadyRuthless_</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hm?” Joker opened his eyes and sat up with a start. “What…?”</p><p>His last memory was of clinging to the outside of the Mona-copter with Crow who had joined him so that a weakened Dr. Maruki could sit inside. Crow who was still with them. But the Palace was still collapsing. He stared at Crow and told himself the wetness in his eyes was from the wind whipping around them. Crow was looking down at the spectacle below him. It wasn’t until his mask began to turn to shining dust that he looked up at Joker. Joker, panicked, reached out toward Crow.</p><p>“Don’t go.” His words were torn away by a sudden, blinding, white light followed closely by a concussive shockwave. He could hear the terrified cries of his teammates and then…nothing.</p><p>Until now. He was on the ground, still immersed in that light. He squinted into it, trying to see something, anything. He dully noted that his body ached and the slight tang of copper in his mouth, likely from the inside of his lip being cut on a tooth. Maruki had thrown some better punches than he did but used up his remaining energy faster, ultimately having to give in. </p><p>“Hello?”</p><p>There was no answer but he thought he saw movement, a swirling in the light. He stood up and stared harder. The swirling began to take shape and darken. He glanced down at himself. No weapons, no abilities but he was still in his Joker outfit. He steadied himself, preparing for whatever was coming for him.</p><p>“Joker.” </p><p>Crow emerged from the light, his outfit shimmering. Not disappearing, but changing. By the time he reached Joker, he was in the crisp, white, red and gold uniform of the Detective Prince. He held out his arms in wonder.</p><p>“Fascinating,” he said softly before he put his arms down again and looked up at Joker. </p><p>“You’re still here,” Joker said. His voice sounded small, weak. </p><p>“Hm, yes. For the moment.” Crow looked up and around. “It’s nearly done collapsing.” His eyes focused back on Joker.</p><p>Joker struggled with a million things he wanted to say and a thousand memories flooded his mind all at once. Darts, Jazz Jin, walking through the streets of Kichijoji taking in all the sounds and smells. And that one time he was extra flirty and Akechi pulled him into an alley and pushed him up against the wall of a building, his mouth millimetres from his own. </p><p><i>“Is this what you want? The affections of a monster? Find someone worthy of you, Amamiya.”</i> Akechi had walked away then, leaving him shivering against the bricks. He wasn’t sure what it said about him that he actually wanted Akechi even more after that. </p><p> “I’m s-sorry. I wish I could have - “</p><p>Crow cut him off by placing a white-gloved hand on his mouth.</p><p>“Shut-up. I have only moments.” Frustrated, he quickly pulled his gloves off and tossed them. They disintegrated before they hit the ground. His bare hands were then on Joker’s face, touching his cheeks, running his fingers along his jaw, along the lines of his neck, gently down the front of his vest and then around until he was gripping both arms near the shoulders. His eyes followed the movement of his hands as if he were memorizing every place he touched.</p><p>“Goro…” The name left his lips as naturally as if he had said it a thousand times already. </p><p>Goro smiled fondly, genuinely. “I never really hated you, you know.”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>Goro’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “So little time…” he whispered before he leaned forward and pressed his mouth against Joker’s in a chaste kiss. “Ren.” He moved forward again, bolder. His tongue tracing along Joker’s lips before delving in. He kissed like a man with nothing to lose. </p><p>Ren welcomed him hungrily. He wrapped his arms around Goro’s shoulder’s and pulled him closer. Maybe if he held on tight enough he wouldn’t disappear. The words <i>don’t go don’t go don’t go</i> chanted over and over in his head. Their mouths moved against each other, tongues meeting over and over. Ren could taste salt. Goro’s tears or his? He felt Goro’s hand in his hair, pulling down and yet pushing him closer. After too little time they broke apart, breathing heavily. Ren pressed his forehead to Goro’s. </p><p>“Please…” Ren was begging. He didn’t care. He felt Goro’s hand on the side of his face and pressed into it. Grey eyes bored into brown as he etched every fleck of gold and mahogany into his brain. </p><p>“Eternity wouldn’t have been enough,” Goro said softly. His thumb brushed across Ren’s lower lip. “Thank you for being my rival. Until we meet again.” And he was gone. </p><p>Glittering motes of dust floated in Ren’s arms. “No!” Ren’s heart felt like it was shattering. His soul felt ripped in two. The pain was unbearable. He dropped to his knees, put his hands in his hair and, no longer the silent, stoic leader of the Phantom Thieves, screamed. </p><p>In his agony, he never noticed the man that approached from behind, whispering to himself for just one last bit of strength. A hand landed on the back of his head before a voice said, “Forget,” as the light began to fade away.</p><p> </p><p>Ren started awake. Again. Where was he? A bunk in a juvenile prison. Right. That’s where he would be. There were new memories of the past couple of months that hadn’t been there before but he hadn’t forgotten what happened in that alternate reality. Dr. Maruki, his palace…Akechi. No, Goro. He called him Goro out loud. Hadn’t he? What had happened to him? They were flying away from the palace, there was a bright light and then…? Flashes came to him. Akechi in his Prince suit. Want and hunger and need. Light and love and...regret.</p><p>
  <i>“Eternity wouldn’t have been enough.”</i>
</p><p>Had that been a dream? He couldn’t remember. Yes, it must have been. But there was a lingering taste of salt on his tongue. </p><p>
  <i>“Thank you for being my rival. Until we meet again.”</i>
</p><p>No. It must have been a dream. Akechi wouldn’t have said those things. Would he? He suddenly wasn’t sure. He sighed deeply. His eyes found the small window in the room, giving him a view of the stars. They twinkled at him, looking like floating specks of light, like… He rubbed at his chest as fresh pain lanced through his heart. </p><p>
  <i>I don’t know where or when, but I will see you again, Akechi Goro. After all, you promised me a rematch and that’s not a promise you would break.</i>
</p><p>Ren rolled over in his bunk and hoped for sleep. He hoped for another dream about Goro.</p><p>
  <i>It was real.</i>
</p><p>Mostly, he just hoped.</p>
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